Surging Wild head to Nashville for key late-season clash

Hockey Betting Lines

03/18/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Both the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators are riding three-game winning streaks, but only one club is in the playoff picture.

The Wild look to continue their playoff push this evening at Bridgestone Arena versus the Predators, who currently hold the seventh spot in the Western Conference.

Minnesota needs a strong finish to the campaign if it wants to make the postseason for the fourth time in five seasons. The Wild have done just that, winning three straight for the first time since Jan. 23-28 while going 5-2-2 over their last nine games.

The Wild hosted Edmonton on Tuesday and skated to a 4-2 victory for their 13th straight win at home over the Oilers. Josh Harding made 34 saves in his fourth straight start in place of the injured Niklas Backstrom (groin) as Minnesota moved to within six points of eighth-place Detroit with 13 to play.

Andrew Ebbett and Martin Havlat both had a goal and an assist for the Wild, while Chuck Kobasew and Antti Miettinen also lit the lamp. The balanced scoring was welcomed, as the Wild were also without Brent Burns (hip/abdominal), Shane Hnidy (leg) and Derek Boogaard (facial lacerations) due to injury.

"I think we played a pretty good game tonight," Havlat said. "Josh was great for us in the net. We're happy that we won the game and we have to win the next one too."

Minnesota now takes to the road for two straight having lost four of six and nine of its last 12 as the guest. Neither Hnidy, Boogaard or Burns will make the trip to the Music City, but Backstrom will. However, Harding is expected to start again tonight.

Nashville, meanwhile, won the opener of a three-game homestand on Tuesday despite blowing a two-goal first-period lead versus the Philadelphia Flyers. Martin Erat had one of Nashville's three goals in the opening frame, then notched the lone shootout tally in a 4-3 victory.

Pekka Rinne made 42 saves and stopped all three skaters he faced in the shootout as the Predators moved three points ahead of the Red Wings in the standings. Nashville is two points back of sixth-place Los Angeles but has played two more games.

Steve Sullivan and Jerred Smithson also scored in the victory.

"It wasn't one of our best games, by far," Predators forward Jason Arnott said. "We pulled through and got two points. You can say ugly win, but we'll take the two points. That's all that matters."

The Predators won their first meeting with the Wild this year back in October, but has lost two straight to Minnesota since. The Wild have won in five of their last seven trips to Nashville.

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NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.